Your Views: We must honor commitment to those who sacrificed much

Memorial Day means a great many things to a great many people. To some it simply represents the beginning of barbecue, boating and ball season or the end of another school year and the challenges to be faced by new graduates.

We must never forget, however, that the true meaning of Memorial Day is to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice to this great nation by giving their lives during armed conflict. It is on this day that we stand and give pause, thoughts and prayers for those who died in the line of duty while serving our country.

The origins of Memorial Day observances can be traced from the Civil War and continue in many unique ways, right through the recent return of Rock County veterans who took part in the 2014 VetsRoll in Washington, D.C. What an honor it was to stand Wednesday and welcome home our area vets who made the once-in-a-lifetime sojourn to our nation's capital to honor their fallen comrades.

This year's observance comes during a backdrop of a Veterans Administration scandal. When our young men and women are asked to go into armed conflict, they do so without asking questions. When they come home and need Veterans Administration help in later years, they assume the covenant between them and the nation will be honored.

We must ensure our commitment to these heroes is as strong as theirs was to us.